• A standard shaker is but one of the tools in a bartender's arsenal.drink shaker image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
  
  Bartending requires a thorough knowledge of mixing cocktails, personality, skill and the right equipment. Having all the bartending tools you need is vital, whether you are aiming to be a professional bartender or just want to entertain a group of friends for an evening of drinks. Some bartending tools are common utensils you may already have in your kitchen, while others you might have to go out and buy.
  
  

Bottle Openers

• Every bartender needs to be able to open beer and wine bottles. Beer bottle openers can be as simple as keychain bottle openers or as fancy as stainless-steel specialized bottle openers. Wine bottle openers vary greatly in style and function. Winged corkscrews have a sharp edge to cut the wrapper around the neck of the bottle, as well as a leveraged corkscrew that easily pops the cork out when you pull up on the handle. Waiters' corkscrews lack the leveraged wings so you have to use a bit more physical effort to remove the corkscrew with them. Many corkscrews feature a basic beer bottle opener built into the handle.
  
  

Shakers

• Cocktail shakers are the preferred, classy method of mixing your guests' or customers' favorite cocktails. Shakers come in two basic styles: the Boston shaker and the standard shaker. The main difference between the two is that the Boston shaker allows you to see the drink as it is being mixed, as one half of the strainer is a clear glass, usually with marks to indicate measuring lines. The standard shaker, on the other hand, is all stainless steel and includes a built-in strainer cap.
  
  

Strainers

• Standard shakers usually have a strainer built into the cap to catch solid bits you do not want to get into the drink, such as citrus peels or zest. If you are using a Boston shaker, however, you will need some kind of strainer to catch the debris. For example, the Hawthorn strainer is shaped like a spoon and fits right into the shaker so it automatically strains the cocktail as you are pouring it into the glass.
  
  

Blender

• You will need a blender to make frozen, blended drinks like strawberry daiquiris or margaritas. Blenders come in a range of prices, shapes and sizes. You may already have a workable blender lying around your kitchen that will work just fine for entertaining guests. According to the Barman Guide website, you can protect your blender's blades from unnecessary wear and tear by always adding your liquid ingredients before switching on the blender, especially when blending ice.
  
  

Basic Utensils

• Basic kitchen utensils play a large role in the bartender's arsenal. Obviously you will need glasses---pint, tumbler, shot---for your guests to drink from. You will also need a cutting board and set of knives and peelers for slicing up the fruits that go in many drinks. Pitchers and stirrers help you keep large quantities of mixed drinks, while bowls and plates can help you pre-slice and store your various fruits and other garnishes. Also, keep towels on hand for spills.